Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Art of Disguise

Upon returning to his quarters, Caiyao had already been waiting there for some time.

“I’m sorry, Caiyao. I was delayed at Uncle Da’s place for quite a while just now and kept you waiting here alone.”

“It’s all right, Brother Sibai. It’s my fault too—I couldn’t wake up this morning and almost made you late.”

Li Sibai gave a wry smile. “You know about that? Did you come to watch my match?”

Caiyao grinned at Li Sibai, sniffed at the lunchbox in his hand, but didn’t answer his question. “That smells delicious! Is it for me?”

Li Sibai smiled awkwardly. “Yes, yes, it’s all for you. Eat up.”

Caiyao didn’t stand on ceremony. Though she was petite, her appetite was astonishing. She began eating quickly and finished the food in no time.

“Why are you eating so fast? Are you full?” Li Sibai asked with a laugh.

“Mm, just about. What did you ask me earlier, Brother?”

“I asked if you watched my match.”

Caiyao’s eyes sparkled as she nodded. “Yes, I saw the whole thing.”

Li Sibai had already guessed the little girl would want to watch, but he couldn’t help worrying about her.

“Isn’t it risky for you to be out and about? There are many experts around—you need to be careful.”

Caiyao giggled. “Risky? Brother, do you really think I’m that weak?” She lifted her chin proudly. “Let’s not forget, I’m a divine beast. My martial skills might be a bit lacking, but down here, I can take care of myself just fine.”

“Besides, I was very careful. I hid atop a big tree, tucked away my rainbow feathers, and looked just like an ordinary little bird.”

“Really?” Li Sibai’s biggest worry had always been Caiyao’s radiant feathers and her luminous constitution—they drew far too much attention.

“It’s true. Look!” As she spoke, Caiyao spun in place, and her once-glorious rainbow feathers vanished, replaced by a layer of plain white plumage. She transformed instantly into a completely ordinary little bird—on a tree, no one would spare her a second glance.

Li Sibai gazed at the “peacock” before him, feigning amazement. “Our little Yao’er is truly incredible! You can do this?”

Caiyao chuckled. “Of course! I learned this illusion technique back on the Eighth Heaven from a spirit beast. What do you think?”

Li Sibai laughed at her antics, and seeing she had a way to hide and protect herself, he felt a little more at ease. “That’s quite a useful trick. Small in scope, but of great utility. How come you never mentioned it before? I’ve never seen you use it—you had me worried.”

Caiyao pouted. “I never needed to disguise myself before. Why would a pretty girl like me make herself look ugly? But now, with you, your strength isn’t enough to protect me completely, and I really wanted to watch your match today, so I remembered this spell.”

Li Sibai blushed and nodded. “That’s for the best. It’s true, I’m not strong enough yet. Next time we go out, use it more often—it’ll put my mind at ease.”

Seeing Li Sibai’s embarrassment, Caiyao softened. “I was only joking, Brother. Don’t take it to heart. I believe you’ll grow stronger quickly. I trust my own judgment…”

Li Sibai looked at her—at that moment, she was resolute, entrusting her safety to him without hesitation, even though they hadn’t known each other long. To say he wasn’t moved would have been a lie.

He took a deep breath and made a solemn promise:

“Don’t worry, Caiyao. I’ll do my best. I won’t let you down!”

Caiyao’s eyes curved with happiness as she nodded vigorously. She truly wanted to believe in Li Sibai—from the bottom of their hearts, both orphans, they wished to protect each other.

“Brother, would you like to learn my illusion technique?”

“Me?… Can I? …Is that something I can learn too?” Li Sibai looked at Caiyao in surprise.

“Of course! As long as you have true qi, you can practice this spell, and it uses very little energy. Want me to teach you?”

Li Sibai’s interest was immediately piqued. “Sure, Yao’er, teach me! Maybe I can change my appearance—become even more handsome and dashing, haha…”

Li Sibai was already dreaming of disguises. Caiyao could only sigh in resignation.

Heh, this brother of mine is great in every way—except his personality shifts too quickly.

…

“Brother Sibai, my illusion technique can’t turn you into a handsome man, though.”

“Ah! Really? I got excited for nothing. Hahaha… So what’s the use of this illusion technique? What changes can it make for me? I don’t have feathers, you know!”

“Don’t be impatient, Brother, let me explain.”

Li Sibai nodded and found a comfortable spot to sit, ready to hear Caiyao’s story.

“The spirit beast who taught me isn’t from the continent, but from an island nation to the east—said to be separated from the continent by the sea.

This spirit beast is called Chongming. It’s an insect with three pairs of wings and a long tail, very large and with a huge appetite, but not much attack power. So what could it do?” At this, Caiyao paused and looked at Li Sibai.

Li Sibai pondered. “It relied on camouflage to confuse its enemies?”

Caiyao smiled sweetly. “Exactly, Brother. Its greatest skill is disguise—the illusion technique I mentioned.

Its body could change color to match its surroundings and lull enemies into a false sense of security. It also used a special kind of mystical earth to shape itself, blending completely into its environment. That way, it could slowly approach its prey without being noticed. When it was close enough, it would open its mouth wide and swallow its prey whole in one gulp!”

Caiyao’s storytelling was so vivid that Li Sibai shivered, goosebumps rising on his skin. Such a bizarre survival trick—truly, the world was full of marvels.

Caiyao glanced at Li Sibai and saw the astonishment on his face. “Brother, let me teach you this illusion technique. Once you learn it, you’ll understand its secrets yourself.”

Li Sibai nodded, his composure returning.

Caiyao continued, “Chongming’s ability to change its body color is a natural gift we can’t imitate. What it taught me was how to craft special mystical earth, and how to use it to fashion different shapes and blend into the environment. But I was a bit mischievous as a child—I only learned how to make the mystical earth, and didn’t master the advanced blending techniques. You’ll have to develop those yourself, Brother.”

Li Sibai nodded. “No matter. I’ll start with the basics and see just how powerful this disguise technique truly is.”

With that, Caiyao began teaching Li Sibai the method for creating mystical earth. As he listened, Li Sibai nodded repeatedly, his face occasionally breaking into a sly smile.